Ask a Question

Video: Troubleshooting no communication between UPS and PowerChute Business Edition

Issue:
No Communication with UPS

Product Line:
PowerChute Business Edition

Environment:
All supported OS

Cause:
There are many possible causes. See resolution / troubleshooting for list

Resolution:

Troubleshooting Communications on Windows

Check that the PowerChute Business Edition Agent service is running, named "APC PBE Agent".

If you are using serial communications, check a) that you are using the serial cable that came with the UPS and b) that it connects the serial port on the UPS to the serial port on your computer.

If you are using USB communications, make sure that the USB cable that came with the UPS is connected from the USB port on the UPS to the USB port on your computer.

Note: The serial communications cable is not a standard RS-232 cable and differs depending on the UPS type. Please refer to the table below. For USB communications, the cable must be USB-IF certified.

Choosing the DB9 or RJ45 Port
Some UPS devices have both the DB9 and RJ45 port types (e.g. several SUA devices). If you are installing or upgrading PowerChute Business Edition with no UPS attached, and you are asked to manually choose either a DB9 or an RJ45 port: choose the DB9 port.

With the correct cable attached, stop and restart the PowerChute Business Edition Agent service, "APC PBE Agent". If the system is still unable to communicate, proceed to the next step.

Make sure that PowerChute Business Edition is configured to use the correct communication port:

In the PowerChute Business Edition Console, select Status, then double-click the UPS with Unknown status.

In Device Properties, select the Show advanced items check box.

Select Communications, and then select UPS communications.

Make sure that the Communications Port is set correctly. If you are using serial communication, the correct serial port must be selected, if you are using USB communication, the USB port must be selected.

You can also use the PowerChute Agent web user interface (UI) to configure the communication port. In the UI, select Protected System, and then system settings to correct the communication port settings.

Note: If you wish to change from a USB port to a serial port, you must re-install the PowerChute Business Edition Agent. Please refer to KBase document

Troubleshooting Windows Serial Communications

Check the PowerChute serial port communication settings. To do this, on the PowerChute Console, go to Device Manager and select the appropriate COMPort icon.

Make sure that the serial port is enabled and that it is using the following settings:

Setting

Value

Baud Rate

2400 * See Note Below

Number of Stop Bits

1

Parity

None

Flow Control

None

FIFO Buffer Enabled

Selected (See the Advanced Settings button for this setting)

Note: If you have still not established communication, you could try debugging the COM port with a tool like HyperTerminal. See the "Checking UPS Communications on Windows" section of the PowerChute Business Edition Release Notes for more information.

*Note: For certain Smart-UPS Models with prefix SMT, SMX, and SURTD the baud rate is 9600.

Troubleshooting Windows USB Communications

From Device Manager select Batteries. You should see APC UPS Note: if configuring for Native shutdown via Control Panel - Power Options then the driver should be HID UPS Battery. KBase FA159743 discuses how to switch drivers.

From the Device Manager select Human Interface Devices (HID). You should see a driver called American Power Conversion USB UPS. If either HID or this driver does not display, proceed with the steps below.

Make sure that the USB port is enabled in your computer BIOS. Consult your computer documentation for details on how to enable the USB Port.

If your installation includes a USB hub (a device that multiplies the number of USB ports available), and the UPS is plugged into it, check that the hub is receiving power. Check your hub's manual to learn whether the hub should be powered with an AC/DC adapter.

Ensure that the USB cable connected to the UPS is the last cable in the chain (downstream). Make sure that all other USB devices upstream from your APC UPS have communication. If an upstream device is not communicating, any device downstream possibly may not communicate either. Remove the device that is not communicating and see if that has any effect.

Using a freeware utility such as USBDeview.exe you can review all connected USB devices.

Note: APC recommends that for optimum performance the UPSs USB cable be plugged into the PC's USB port directly, and not into a USB hub.

Additional Windows Troubleshooting Information

Once you have followed the steps outlined in the Troubleshooting sections above, stop and restart the PowerChute Business Edition Agent. If the system is still unable to communicate, proceed to the next step.

If you have a SmartSlot accessory connected to the UPS, check that it is configured correctly. More information regarding these accessories is available on http://www.apc.com/products/

If you still have not established communication, try using another communications (Serial/USB) cable if one is available.

If you have tried all of the techniques above but have still not established communication, visit http://www.apc.com/support/ for troubleshooting help.

Troubleshooting Communications on Linux and Solaris

1.Make sure that the serial cable that came with the UPS is connected from the serial port on the UPS to the serial port on your computer. USB communications is not supported on Linux and Solaris.

2.Stop and start the PowerChute Agent. If the agent process is not running: start and stop it by typing:

# cd <PCBE Agent Install Directory>/bin

# ./startup start

# ./startup stop

3.The serial port settings for Linux/Solaris are:

Setting

Value

Baud Rate

2400 **See Note Below

Number of Stop Bits

1

Parity

None

Flow Control

None

Smart - Signaling Mode (Only)

Modem Control disabled

Simple - Signaling Mode (Only)

Modem Control Enabled

4.Use the PowerChute Agent web user interface (UI) to configure the communication port. In the UI,